Chapter 51: How Can You Be Sure He Is a Hollow?
Soul Society, Fifth Division barracks, training ground.
Swish.
The blade sliced through the air.
It also sliced through Ichigo's clothes. Even though he retreated in time, a streak of blood still blossomed across his chest the moment his back foot hit the ground.
He ignored the pain, forcing his breathing to steady as he fixed his gaze on the two figures clashing in front of him.
Sparks flew through the air like a storm of fireflies, too many to count, scattering and vanishing in an instant.
The ringing of steel against steel pounded in his ears, a continuous downpour of noise that made his heart hammer in his chest.
The spiritual pressure spilling out from their frenzied clash had completely torn up the training field beneath their feet.
For ordinary Shinigami, this was a battle taking place on a different timeline altogether, like a duel in another world.
Suddenly, one of the figures was blown backward.
Ichigo launched forward almost without thinking.
He seized the opening and rushed in, swinging from behind at the opponent who had clearly held the upper hand a moment before.
"Hoo…"
Takeru's face was soaked with sweat, his heart thudding like a war drum. Every muscle and bone in his body ached faintly, and several sword wounds were deep enough to show bone.
The relentless, high intensity battle had driven his body to the edge.
He had no intention of continuing.
He stepped aside, sheathed his Zanpakuto, and sat down.
Picking up the water bottle that had been prepared ahead of time, he poured half of it over his head, then tilted his neck back and drained the rest in one gulp.
Just as he lowered the bottle, there was a heavy thud in front of him.
Ichigo crashed to the ground and slid all the way to Takeru's feet.
"..."
Seeing this, Takeru calmly picked up Ichigo's water cup and dumped it onto his face.
"Gah, cough, cough, cough… What are you doing?!"
"You looked like you could not get up, so I helped you. It worked wonderfully, did it not?"
"Can you not use a normal method?! A normal one!"
Choking and sputtering, Ichigo jerked upright, snatched the cup back in annoyance, and started gulping water down properly.
"Haa… I am alive again."
"Let us stop here for today."
Aizen approached at a leisurely pace.
Unlike the two of them in kendo uniforms, he wore full Captain attire, Zanpakuto in hand. His presence was both elegant and overwhelming, and even the faint residue of killing intent around him felt like needles pricking at the heart.
Ichigo's fingers twitched. Instinctively, his hand almost went to his sword hilt.
Takeru's body tensed as well.
That reaction alone was proof of the fatal danger they sensed from him on instinct.
"Thank you for your hard work, Teacher. You are investigating Ichimaru in secret and still training with us."
"It is a little tiring. Your growth really is too fast. If I do not use my real strength, the training is meaningless."
Aizen smiled faintly.
"But that is a good thing. Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye. We do not have much time left."
"Yes."
Takeru looked up, squinting toward the distant direction of Sōkyoku Hill.
More than ten days had passed since the new judgment had been handed down.
In that time, he and Ichigo had been undergoing practical training with Aizen almost every day.
Ending up covered in wounds was nothing rare anymore.
"Done."
Ichigo wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned with satisfaction.
"You have worked hard too."
Takeru tried lifting his arm.
The sword wound that had nearly severed his tendon was already gone, not even a scar remaining.
His body was simply exhausted and sore.
If someone asked why this hellish training, which left them in pieces over and over, could continue day after day without interruption…
The answer was Ichigo.
Retsu Unohana's guidance had been absolutely correct.
By repeatedly being injured in actual combat, Ichigo accumulated a wealth of experience. His Bakudo healing techniques became sharper and more refined, to the point where he could mend wounds in just a few seconds, and he still had enough spiritual pressure left to heal Takeru as well.
Because of that, the two of them could recover at high speed and dive straight into the next day's special training.
Even Aizen, who had originally suggested Ichigo specialize in Bakudo, could not help being astonished.
Calling this progress merely fast no longer did it justice.
His technique was one thing, but the sheer amount of spiritual power he possessed was another.
On top of that, perhaps thanks to the Quincy Blut flowing in his veins, Ichigo was especially gifted at treating injuries deep within the body.
"If this keeps up, I am really worried Miss Unohana will drag me into the Fourth Division."
Ichigo felt a strong sense of accomplishment as his Bakudo deepened, but just thinking about Unohana's gentle smile and the Fourth Division's workload gave him a headache.
He had promised Ukitake that he would join the Thirteenth Division.
It was not for any complicated reason. The Thirteenth Division was responsible for Seireitei's outer duties and often dispatched Shinigami to guard the World of the Living. A Vice Captain would not be sent on such simple assignments, of course, but going to the front lines to "inspect the situation at the grassroots level" from time to time should be fine, right?
"Just tell her you do not want to go. That will solve it. With your level of Bakudo, she will not be able to cut you down."
Takeru said it casually.
"I did not ask you to praise my Bakudo like that. I asked you to think of an idea that does not involve drawing a sword!"
"Then why not ask Teacher?"
At that, Ichigo instinctively turned to look at Aizen.
"In that case, it may be better to consult with Captain Ukitake."
Aizen considered it for a moment, then gave his answer.
"As your future superior, he will not ignore your concerns."
"That makes sense."
It did make sense, but as he looked at these two casually tossing responsibility back and forth, Ichigo could not help feeling a little out of place.
Without saying anything further, Aizen left the training ground.
Aside from investigating Ichimaru Gin, there were still no shortage of duties within the Division. He could not dump everything on Hinamori Momo. Otherwise, when she "died," it would make people suspicious that too much work pressure had driven her to her grave.
Wait. That was an excuse too.
"Excessive work pressure, going out to relax and being lured out and murdered… that makes the victim look even more pitiful."
Takeru watched Aizen's back and muttered to himself.
"That kind of case is even more infuriating than an ordinary murder. The more enraged they are, the less people will calm down and think. Then, when Teacher uses his talent with words to help Hinamori embellish the story, it will definitely stir everyone's emotions and hook them completely."
"I swear… why do I suddenly feel like we are plotting to overthrow Seireitei?"
Ichigo's eyelid twitched as he listened to Takeru's meaningful muttering.
"What are you saying? We are already opposing Central 46."
Takeru stood up and patted him on the shoulder.
"In a sense, how is that any different from undermining the order of Seireitei?"
"You should focus on Bankai."
"Thanks to Teacher forcing me to the brink these days, my soul keeps feeling like it is about to be crushed, so my spiritual pressure has been surging nonstop."
"After training during the day, I go back at night and continue… training. The first stage of materialization is almost complete."
"Heh, I already finished mine."
Ichigo laughed proudly.
Takeru's theory, that spiritual pressure spikes when the soul feels it is close to disappearing, obviously applied to both of them. That was the whole reason for this insane training.
If all they wanted was to polish their combat skills, this would be a terrible waste of time.
That being said.
"I feel like I am not weaker than Kuchiki Byakuya anymore. I even feel like I could push back if I ran into Miss Unohana."
Takeru exhaled slowly.
"But when it comes to Teacher… I cannot see any chance of victory at all. It is complete one sided suppression."
"Only when he releases that killing intent and crushes us with that terrifying power can we really feel the soul level crisis of near death. That is what draws out our potential and let me complete materialization in such a short time."
"However, I have run into some trouble in the subjugation phase."
As Ichigo spoke, his expression twisted in frustration again.
"Why did you not ask for help while Teacher was still here?"
"That… I do not really want other people to know."
Ichigo scratched his head, suddenly embarrassed.
"But you are different."
"?"
"Why are you giving me that look? I mean, you can summon weird creatures that do not look like anything a Shinigami should have. You said they were monsters from Europe. I figured you and I might have some common ground here."
"Is that so… all right, then tell me."
Takeru's curiosity was piqued.
"What I am about to say might lead to some misunderstandings."
Ichigo stabbed his sword into the ground beside him and let out a long sigh.
"Last night, when I was doing blade meditation, I entered my inner world again…"
"And I met a Hollow that looked exactly like me."
"...Who was that?"
"A Hollow!" Ichigo snapped back.
"Did you forget what a Hollow is? Those masked, freakish things that hunt souls everywhere?"
"But the one you are talking about does not seem to have a mask, or a freakish appearance, or hunt souls everywhere."
Takeru's expression turned oddly thoughtful.
"So how can you be sure he is a Hollow?"
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